Results 21-40 of 193 for speaker:Jim McDaid

Seanad: Dublin Traffic Congestion: Motion. (11 Jun 2003)

Jim McDaid: I believe in the intelligence of the people. The Senator is ensuring he will show himself up once again because, as I pointed out, the Dublin Port tunnel caters for 99.2% of all vehicles. I would like the Senator to come back here in five years and consider what he said in this House. I doubt if he will say, "I told you so."

Seanad: Dublin Traffic Congestion: Motion. (11 Jun 2003)

Jim McDaid: If he is still a Member of the House, Senator Browne will be embarrassed at what will have been achieved.

Seanad: Dublin Traffic Congestion: Motion. (11 Jun 2003)

Jim McDaid: Let me explain the position about the Red Cow roundabout. It is not because of a lack of finance because we have €20 million to spend. The NRA has come up with €10 million and we have the extra €10 million, if necessary. We have put in place someone who has experience in this area. I believe in the intelligence of our civil servants and engineers who say the filter system at the...

Seanad: Dublin Traffic Congestion: Motion. (11 Jun 2003)

Jim McDaid: They have been largely positive, with the exception of those who are ill-informed in the matter. The site at the Red Cow roundabout will be able to accommodate up to 750 cars. The current difficulty is how to achieve agreement between all the appropriate agencies on the technical questions of entry to and exit from the site. It is not a matter of funding or anything else but of giving the...

Seanad: Dublin Traffic Congestion: Motion. (11 Jun 2003)

Jim McDaid: That is what the Senator said about the DART.

Seanad: Dublin Traffic Congestion: Motion. (11 Jun 2003)

Jim McDaid: The issue is being examined in the context of a study carried out by an independent adviser.

Seanad: Dublin Traffic Congestion: Motion. (11 Jun 2003)

Jim McDaid: I ask Members to leave the matter to the experts. Perhaps they should visit the port tunnel, see it in a three dimensional way, not look at it through abstract pages supplied by those who object to it. They should look at it for themselves, put their hands on it, feel the three dimensional aspect and the whole area and then come back and have a relevant debate in the Seanad.

Seanad: Taxi Regulation Bill 2003: Committee Stage. (1 Jul 2003)

Jim McDaid: Fine Gael proposed this amendment in the Dáil and, as a result, we inserted a new section 51. As Senator Brady pointed out, this is not a matter for the commission which is an independent body. There are 32 taxi meter areas in Ireland. The GPS is working in all these areas and if the taxi people want to use it, it is up to them. It is a commercially sensitive area. It is not for the...

Seanad: Taxi Regulation Bill 2003: Committee Stage. (1 Jul 2003)

Jim McDaid: We have taken on the Labour Party amendments. It is not usual to take on amendments on Report Stage but I have agreed that in view of today's business I will take them at a later Stage. Question put and agreed to. NEW SECTION.

Seanad: Taxi Regulation Bill 2003: Committee Stage. (1 Jul 2003)

Jim McDaid: I agree that we should do everything possible for people who have made their taxis accessible, at great cost. I urge Senators to do what they can within their own health board or hospital areas to encourage them to use these taxis. We amended section 9 to provide that the commission would pursue the policy of making all taxis accessible. However we cannot include this amendment in primary...

Seanad: Taxi Regulation Bill 2003: Committee Stage. (1 Jul 2003)

Jim McDaid: I will come back to the Senator on this. Section 18(1)(a) enables the commission to determine the number, grading, remuneration and other conditions of service of staff, with the consent of the Minister for Transport and the Minister for Finance. This is a matter for the relevant Ministers at Estimates time.

Seanad: Taxi Regulation Bill 2003: Committee Stage. (1 Jul 2003)

Jim McDaid: This matter should be dealt with by the relevant Minister and the Minister for Finance at the appropriate time, the Estimates. Question put and agreed to. SECTION 19. Question proposed: "That section 19 stand part of the Bill."

Seanad: Taxi Regulation Bill 2003: Committee Stage. (1 Jul 2003)

Jim McDaid: A legacy and fault of almost all past Governments, local authorities and statutory bodies is that they rely too much on consultants' reports. We have many good people employed in local authorities and Departments and should rely on their ability and common sense instead of consultants' reports which have cost a lot over the last number of decades. Question put and agreed to. Sections 20 to...

Seanad: Taxi Regulation Bill 2003: Committee Stage. (1 Jul 2003)

Jim McDaid: The Senator has referred to this issue in an amendment on section 29 to which I was going to respond at that stage. I ask that this section be accepted and will respond to the Senator on section 29. Question put and agreed to. Sections 26 to 28, inclusive, agreed to. SECTION 29.

Seanad: Taxi Regulation Bill 2003: Committee Stage. (1 Jul 2003)

Jim McDaid: We have accepted the principle of the Senator's amendment in the Dáil. Section 29(2)(c) now provides that the annual report and accounts must be presented to the Oireachtas within three months of being presented to the Minister. Amendment No. 4 refers to Members losing their ability to make representations and Ministers not being accountable to the House. As I said to the Dáil, it has been...

Seanad: Taxi Regulation Bill 2003: Committee Stage. (1 Jul 2003)

Jim McDaid: My officials inform me that the advertisements for the position of regulator will be placed in the newspapers this week. The process will take some months because the applications must be dealt with in some detail for such an important position. The first steps are being taken next week. On that basis, autumn is a reasonable date to expect the appointment of the regulator. Question put and...

Seanad: Taxi Regulation Bill 2003: Committee Stage. (1 Jul 2003)

Jim McDaid: The substance of amendment No. 5 was discussed in the Dáil and it was agreed that it would be withdrawn. I reiterate that a small public service vehicle must be insured. The Senator was referring to licences when he spoke after moving amendment No. 5. However, the amendment has to do with insurance. The Senator seeks to provide in amendment No. 6 as follows: A licence granted after the...

Seanad: Taxi Regulation Bill 2003: Committee Stage. (1 Jul 2003)

Jim McDaid: Senator Browne said the section was too vague. It specifically indicates the type of offences which will prohibit people from holding a licence. The Senator's amendment is vague in that it provides as follows: a person being the applicant for or the holder of a licence is– (a) convicted on indictment of any offence, or (b) convicted summarily of an offence and sentenced to a term of...

Seanad: Taxi Regulation Bill 2003: Committee Stage. (1 Jul 2003)

Jim McDaid: The answer to that is "no". The public wants people who can drive safely and to have confidence in them to do that. Offences are listed in the Bill which would prohibit a person obtaining a licence, but they do not deal specifically with people released under the Good Friday Agreement. The offences listed in the Bill, whenever they were committed, continue to be offences and to prohibit a...

Seanad: Taxi Regulation Bill 2003: Committee Stage. (1 Jul 2003)

Jim McDaid: It has already been dealt with in the Bill. While I accept there is merit in the proposal, I remind the House that the Bill provides through section 38 for the establishment of a comprehensive register of licences by the commission and for the continuation of the existing registers held by the Garda and local authorities. Any attempt by such a person to obtain a licence will necessitate all...